1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the treatment of wastewater products and, more particularly, to a grease trap design for minimizing the disposal of grease, fats and oils from wastewater.
2. Description of Related Art
Grease traps are typically located in restaurants, meat and poultry processing plants, slaughter houses and other industries having excessive amounts of greasy wastewater and foreign materials, such as insoluable solids, that must be treated to prevent the discharge into sanitary sewer systems. The overtaxing of municipal sewage treatment facilities has become a serious problem in many communities and ordinances requiring a reduction in volume of grease and insoluble solids discharged into municipal sewers are becoming more widespread and stringent.
When greasy wastewater is discharged through a wastewater disposal system, the grease accumulates on the interior walls of associated piping. As the grease coating grows, it obstructs the flow of wastewater in the sewage pipe. Grease traps are typically utilized to intercept and remove this grease prior to entrance into the disposal system. In many instances, grease traps are not properly cleaned or maintained which may result in inadequate removal of grease.
In an effort to improve the separation and collection of grease and foreign materials, grease traps may have a series of compartments. However, these compartmentalized grease traps typically utilize removable screens, level and temperature sensors, valves and heating devices to properly maintain the flow and separation of grease from the wastewater. Grease traps of this type require frequent cleaning to remove accumulated materials. Cleaning of these grease traps is an unpleasant task that can become very messy and tedious. However, if the grease trap is not properly maintained, the grease will collect on the sensors and valves, thereby causing the grease trap to function improperly. Therefore, there is a need for a simple grease trap that minimizes the above-mentioned deficiencies due to improper cleaning and maintenance.
Grease traps are well known in the art for receiving and processing a mixture of water and grease. The water and grease mixture is introduced within the grease trap tank where a baffle obstructs the flow of the water and grease mixture causing the grease and water mixture to slow down in velocity. The grease trap includes a settling chamber, whereby the grease floats on top of the water and the water is removed from the bottom of the grease trap. In each grease trap design, a portion of the grease, or the solids, however small, will end up passing through the grease trap. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to lower the amount of grease and/or solids that pass through the grease trap.